Method of manufacturing and providing lithography on metallic ropp and crown closures

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to manufacturing metallic closures from a continuous coil of a pre-coated sheet metal material. More specifically, the present invention relates to manufacturing crown closures adapted for interconnection to a crown finish on a neck of a container using a continuous coil of pre-coated sheet metal material. In one embodiment, marketing indicia or product information may be applied to the closures after formation of the closures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a metal crown closure which is adapted for interconnection to a neck of a container, comprising:
 providing a coil of a sheet metal material;   aligning the sheet metal material with a forming machine; and   feeding the sheet metal material through the forming machine, wherein the forming machine cuts and forms a plurality of metal crown closures from the sheet metal material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal material is comprised of at least one of an aluminum alloy, a tin material, tin coated steel, and a steel alloy. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal material is decorated with indicia before the sheet metal material is fed through the forming machine. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet metal material is pre-coated with at least one of an inside coating, an outside coating, and an outside base color. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising decorating one or more of an exterior top and an interior top portion of the plurality of metal crown closures with an indicia. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising curing the metal crown closures by heating, or applying UV radiation or an electron beam to the plurality of metal crown closures. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein an exterior top decoration is different than an interior top decoration. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming flutes on the plurality of metal crown closures. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing a liner in an interior top portion of the plurality of metal crown closures. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the container is formed of one of metal, plastic, and glass. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for forming a crown closure which is adapted for interconnection to a neck of a container, comprising:
 a receiver operable to receive a portion of a coil of a sheet metal material and unwind said sheet metal material from said coil; and   a forming machine operable to receive said sheet metal material from said receiver, said forming machine comprising at least one guide to align said sheet metal material, at least one tool operable to cut a plurality of blanks from said sheet metal material, and at least one tool operable to form a blank of said plurality of blanks into said crown closure.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said forming machine further comprises a tool operable to form flutes on said crown closure. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a decorator operable to receive said crown closure from said forming machine, said decorator operable to decorate at least one of an exterior top portion and an interior top portion of said crown closure with an indicia to produce a decorated crown closure. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a curer operable to receive said decorated crown closure from said decorator, said curer operable to cure said decorated crown closure. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a liner applicator operable to install a liner in said interior top portion of said crown closure after said decorated crown closure is cured by said curer. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising a decorator operable form a decoration on at least one surface of said sheet metal material and a curer operable to cure said decoration of said sheet metal material prior to said at least one tool of said forming machine cutting said plurality of blanks from said sheet metal material. 
     
     
         17 . A continuous feed apparatus for forming a metal closure which is adapted for interconnection to a neck of a container, comprising:
 a guide system, said guide system operable to uncoil a continuous sheet of a metal material from a coil, said guide system operable to align said continuous sheet with a forming machine;   said forming machine operable to take in said continuous sheet from said guide system and further comprising at least one tool operable to cut a plurality of blanks from said sheet metal material and at least one tool operable to form said plurality of blanks into a plurality of crown closures.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of crown closures are adapted for interconnection to a neck of a metallic container. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a decorator operable to receive said plurality of crown closures from said forming machine, said decorator operable to decorate one or more of an exterior top portion and an interior top portion of said plurality of crown closures with an indicia to produce a plurality of decorated crown closures. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said decorator is operable to form a raised product indicia on said exterior top portion of said plurality of decorated crown closures.